


Worry

by mikemunhoe



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Child Abuse, Inferiority Complex, M/M, Mild Smut, Mildly Dubious Consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 06:17:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20077525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikemunhoe/pseuds/mikemunhoe
Summary: Some background development on my Pathfinder. Vaguely inspired by Worry by Mother Mother. Let me know if there's any mistakes or errors.





	Worry

1\. The first time Scott comes to him, the boy’s only 19, having just completed System’s Alliance training. He begrudgingly informs Harry he’s being shipped off to a relay the following day. Harry’s known Scott long enough to know something’s off. He’d usually be excited about something like this, he’d always wanted to work in the Alliance. Though the slouched, tired young man before him shows no shred of excitement. His eyes aren’t as piercing as usual, instead he lazily stares up at Harry, eyes hooded as if he could fall asleep any minute.

“There’s something else, right?” Harry asks, brow furrowed. Scott smiles lazily, snorting in mock amusement.

“We were supposed to have a family night before I headed out. Everyone’s usually so busy so it was kind of a big deal…” 

Scott trails off, staring past the older man again as he leans against the door frame. Harry doesn’t have to hear Scott say it to know; Alec didn’t show.

“Do you want to come in?” Harry says before he can really consider the consequences. He should’ve just sent the boy back to his mom and sister, instead of keeping Scott to himself before such an important event in the Ryder’s lives. But Scott is already smiling, murmuring a ‘yah’ as he moves past the doctor and into the apartment.

Harry wasn’t surprised when Scott had scooted closer to him on the couch, placing a hand on his thigh as he started to kiss and lick and nip along the older man’s neck. What did surprise Harry was the fact he hadn’t stopped it. Instead, he groaned softly, turning his head to claim the Ryder boy’s soft lips. The logical part of him told him it wasn’t right, that Alec would chew him out for this, that Scott wasn’t in the right state of mind for this. But his body, his heart, told him that Scott needed this right now. He was more than happy to give.

2\. The second time Scott comes to him, the boy’s 21. April 2nd. His birthday. He’d been given some leave time to spend with his family for the week and Harry was the least bit surprised when Scott showed up at his door. This time his eyes were wide and wet, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. There was a red mark on his cheek that was barely visible against his dark skin. The boy nervously pulled at the hem of his shirt, looking to the older man as if he hadn’t expected anyone to open the door.

“Hi, Dr. Carlyle” he attempted a smile that quickly broke off into a sob as he looked to the ground, covering his mouth with a hand and squeezing his eyes shut with a muffled curse.

“What happened to you?” Harry asked, cringing at how strained his voice sounded. He quickly pulled Scott into the apartment, closing and locking the door.

“Look at me” the doctor said softly, moving the boy’s hand down from his mouth, tilting his head up so he could wipe away the tears with his thumbs. It took several moments before Scott could form a response, reaching up and gripping Harry’s hands like a life line.

“Alec hit me” 

Harry reared back in shock, growling out a “what!?”. His blood felt like it could start boiling as he stared at the Ryder’s hurt expression, his soft amber eyes that looked anywhere but Carlyle’s face. He couldn’t begin to grasp how Alec could find himself raising a hand to such a sweet boy.

Overwhelmed with a sudden urge to protect, he pulled Scott close to him, crushing him in a tight hug. Scott easily relaxed into it, hiding his face into the crook of Harry’s neck as he quietly cried.

It didn’t feel wrong anymore. It didn’t feel wrong when he slid Scott a beer across the counter top. It didn’t feel wrong when he wrapped an arm around Scott’s shoulders, holding him close as he explained what happened, occasionally taking a sip from his drink. It didn’t feel wrong when Scott looked up at him with sadness and longing and doubt in his eyes, when Scott gingerly reached for his beer and set it aside before pressing a deep kiss to the doctor’s lips. It didn’t feel wrong when he took Scott on the counter, their hands grasping at each other, bodies hot and slick with sweat. None of it felt wrong anymore, even though it was.

3\. The first time Harry leaves Scott behind is 600 years later. Andromeda, a new beginning. Harry realizes that this is the right choice, but it feels very very wrong.  
And as this feeling sinks in, light-years away, Scott steps into the Tempest med-bay, excited to see Harry when everything isn’t moving a million miles a second. His step falters as he’s greeted by the face of an asari, his mouth moving before his brain can.

“You’re not Harry”

The asari smiles.

“Did the blue give it away? Habitat 7 was a little more action-packed than Harry bargained for. He decided to spend his “retirement years” on the Hyperion looking after your sister”

Scott feels his stomach sink. There’s a knot there that he can’t quite figure out as his brain rushes to catch up. His sister? She’d always been the better child. The good one. Dad liked her. Of course Harry would prefer to take care of her. He could feel his heart beating against his chest.

The asari’s voice cut through his thoughts as she leaned down a bit, catching Ryder’s eyes.

“Is that going to be a problem?”

“I… uh… no. It won’t" he blinked "I have to go"

Turning on his heel as fast as he could, he dashed into the Pathfinder’s—his—quarters.


End file.
